Add Passion and Stir

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TURN GUILT INTO ACTION: TWENTY-SOMETHINGS LEADING THE CHARGE Jul 26, 2017

Show notes

Do you have to be a certain age to solve a problem in your community? Does it take a specific level of experience to see someone in need and offer to help? In this powerful episode of Add Passion and Stir, hear from two young people from the next generation of leaders. Millennial chef Bobby Pradachith (Thip Khao) and recent college graduate and anti-hunger advocate Alana Davidson (University of New Hampshire) join Share Our Strength founders Billy and Debbie Shore to share how they are already making big impacts in their communities. When Alana discovered that a quarter of her college classmates struggled with hunger, she sprang into action by contacting the governor and the dean of students. “I couldn’t sit on the number,” she says. “I had to do something about it.” Her efforts resulted in Swipe It Forward, a stigma-free meal donation program for any student experiencing food insecurity. Chef Bobby leads his unique Lao restaurant – the only one in DC - with bold and authentic menu options that both intrigue American diners and minimize food waste. “We don’t hold back,” he promises.

Despite their accomplishments, both millennial superstars remain driven to increase their impact going forward. Chef Bobby is inspired by his family’s culture and work ethic, and plans to increase his involvement with helping those less fortunate both here and in Laos. The secret to his continued success will be persistence. “If you have goals, you have to work hard at them,” he says. Alana is looking forward to graduate school at Tufts University Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy, and a future working on federal food policy. “Nutrition is never one of the national priorities,” she laments. “Food is used as a tool to keep people in poverty… How can we have a conversation around nutrition that isn’t polarized or too political because we all have to eat.” Host Billy Shore agrees. He describes the military concept of a ‘show of force,’ but posits, “What if our show of force was: We’re going to have the strongest generation in history because we’re going to feed them and educate them… We’re going to invest in kids and health and nutrition and access to food for everyone. Now that’s a pretty different way than most people think of a show of force, but I think there’s an opportunity there to wake people up. These issues really do affect our nation’s strength.”

Listen and be inspired by these two young visionaries who are changing the world.

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THE CENTER OF EVERYTHING: HOW FOOD CHANGES THE WORLD Jul 19, 2017

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Is food the center of the world? How do your life and your values relate to food? In this episode of Add Passion and Stir, two culinary greats discuss how food changes the world. Former Food & Wine editor-turned-podcast host Dana Cowin (Speaking Broadly) and Betony chef-turned-liquor entrepreneur Eamon Rockey (Rockey’s) join Share Our Strength founder and CEO Billy Shore to provide insights into how celebrity chefs are opening our minds and influencing our social justice concerns, the evolution of how we prefer to access food, and maintaining the successful trajectory of nonprofits like Share Our Strength’s No Kid Hungry campaign. Their conversation illustrates how food impacts everything from culture to lifestyle choices to social causes. “Food is at the center of everything; it’s at the center of the world; it’s at the center of each individual’s life,” says Cowin.

“Chefs introduce Americans to cultures,” Cowin believes, by introducing us to global cuisines. She thinks experiencing and learning about other cultures’ food opens our minds. “Those of us who care have become much more accepting of the entire world.” Both guests are inspired by the No Kid Hungry campaign. “What differentiates Share Our Strength and No Kid Hungry from all others – head and shoulders above others… is giving people the opportunity to make a difference and feel that difference,” Rockey states. He believes the key is how the campaign harnesses the skill and energy of chefs at its fundraising events. “[The chefs] know their efforts are going to translate into good… because the happiness they derive out of it and the impact they make are so clear and apparent,” he says. Cowin underscores No Kid Hungry’s ability to innovate, such as turning a few chefs’ “hard-core passion” for cycling into the now-annual Chefs Cycle fundraiser. Both Cowin and Rockey also discuss their recent major career transitions and what comes next for each of them.

Listen to the conversation and tell us how it inspires you!

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THE KEY TO AMERICA'S SUCCESS: INSPIRING SOCIAL CHANGE Jul 12, 2017

Show notes

Is there a way to unite people with different values and ensure everyone works to be at their absolute best? On this episode of Add Passion and Stir, three innovative leaders and a visionary young artist discuss possible solutions to our most pressing social problems. David Simpson (Executive Director of All Our Kids), Ashley Koff (nutrition expert) and Tahrook (23 year-old painter) join Share Our Strength founder and CEO Billy Shore for a conversation about how we need to bring out each individual’s potential in order to succeed as a country.

“Kids deserve to feel loved and valued,” says Simpson. “If we can help them become successful happy adults – why would we not?” He describes how nonprofit All Our Kids is encouraging young people in the DC area that they deserve to dream, and often that encouragement occurs over a community meal. Koff agrees. “We need a country of individuals who are all better at what they choose to do,” she says, and access to healthy food is critical. “If we continue to make access to better health and better nutrition a political issue, we will fail as a country.” She shares how she enables people to make better health decisions despite mixed messages in the American media. Billy Shore underscores the ability of anyone to make a difference. “In the social change space, getting close, bearing witness, going into the community, working with people directly is often the precursor to really powerful, transformational change,” he says. “Don’t just post, don’t just preach, get your hands dirty and get involved.”

Listen to this inspirational conversation about social justice and tell us how you make a difference in your community!

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CYCLING FOR THE CAUSE: FOOD, FRIENDS, AND FITNESS Jul 05, 2017

Show notes

Do you need to take care of yourself first so you can take care of others? What are the physical and mental benefits of doing something athletic for a cause? In another special edition of Add Passion and Stir taped at Chefs Cycle, hear from chef Jeff Mahin (Stella Barra Pizzeria, Do-Rite Donuts, M Street Kitchen) and pro athlete-turned-chef Lentine Alexis on what cycling for the cause of hungry kids means to them. The two chefs join Share Our Strength founder and CEO Billy Shore and Share Our Strength Associate Director of Chefs Cycle Adele Nelson on Day 2 of Chefs Cycle, a 300-mile fundraising bike ride in Santa Rosa, CA for No Kid Hungry.

Chefs of all cycling levels – 230 this year, up from just 6 in 2014 - care deeply about feeding hungry kids. Mahin feels that helping is contagious, especially in the culinary world. “We all as chefs understand how powerful food is, and then when you combine that with being and athlete and understanding hunger, then [Chefs Cycle] is real close to home.” Former professional triathlete Alexis finds it very natural. “Our [culinary] community and our colleagues feel that it's our responsibility to … safeguard the wellbeing of those in our communities with food as our tool,” she says. “When you think about how many American kids are hungry… I can't imagine a more worthy cause to ride my bicycle for.”

For many participants, the camaraderie of this event make those 300 hilly miles even more worthwhile. Mahin finds it very powerful to ride with a group of people who care about the cause and each other. “The generosity and camaraderie of this ride, with people helping each other… it’s a beautiful thing.” He also praises Shore and the work of No Kid Hungry: “What you're doing for my industry and for me and my friends, is you're changing our lives. You're making these culinary professionals care about each other.” Cycling was key to Mahin’s personal transformation from hard-living daredevil to dedicated health nut. Both guests feel we have only scratched the surface of the potential for chefs cycling together as an inspirational, community-building fundraiser to help feed more hungry kids in America.

Listen to their conversation about health, friendship and uniting to end child hunger.

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GANG VIOLENCE: THE PREVENTION AND THE CURE Jun 28, 2017

Show notes

How does racism in America impact how children of color envision their futures? How can we help kids succeed despite this racism? Two impactful guests tell us about their efforts to empower, guide and support kids in their communities. MacArthur "Genius Award" winner and nonprofit founder Joe Marshall and Oakland chef Tanya Holland (Brown Sugar Kitchen, Food Network) discuss racism with Share Our Strength founder and CEO Billy Shore on this episode of Add Passion and Stir. “Being black in America is you start in this hole,” says Marshall, “and you’re continually climbing out of this hole.” Chef Holland agrees, “What I find most painful about racism is when people have low expectations of you. They don’t expect you to be intelligent or ambitious or resourceful… That judgement is a big hurdle.”

Yet both of these community activists are fighting racism and ‘the soft bigotry of low expectations.’ In 1987, Marshall started the Omega Boys Club, which is now a nationally recognized youth development and violence prevention organization in San Francisco. The Alive & Free violence prevention program aims to keep kids just that: safe and out of prison. “A lot of times [kids] are just doing stuff to survive, except they don’t really learn how to survive – they learn how to die or go to prison,” he says. Holland makes an impact by hiring and nurturing staff from the low-income neighborhood near her restaurant, and being a role model for these young people. “There are not many models out there for them, particularly in my profession. I’m trying to create opportunities… so they can see, ‘she can do it and she looks like me.’”

Listen to hear how these leaders are helping kids refuse to fail when the system is stacked against them. How are you doing your part?

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OUR TOUGHEST PROBLEMS REQUIRE OUR TOUGHEST TALENT Jun 21, 2017

Show notes

How much do you think about how you contribute to society? Is it important for you to help others and give back? Two social sector advocates whose deep values and empathy guide their own career paths discuss the importance of doing good. Dan Cardinali, CEO of Independent Sector, and Bren Herrera, Cuban private chef and lifestylist, chat about food, culture, personal transformations, and their deep passion for helping others with Billy Shore, founder and CEO of Share Our Strength, on this episode of Add Passion and Stir. Cardinali, a champion for the social sector (nonprofit and philanthropic institutions), reveals its vastness: 1.5 million institutions that employ 1 in 10 Americans and serve or engage 1 in 4. However, that impact is often overlooked and there is a misperception that the sector is weaker and less effective than the private sector. “Nonprofit and philanthropic institutions are critically important to America because they often are working on those issues that neither government nor market strategies are able to address,” says Cardinali. “In many regards, they are much more effective than either government or business can be, yet they are often looked at as being subpar to those two institutions.” This perceived second-class standing of social sector organizations also affects the individuals who choose to work there who are, according to Cardinali, “extraordinarily heroic folks willing to suppress their own desires for wealth and praise in service of bettering the community.” Based on her own transformational path from law to life coaching, Herrera agrees. “Our purpose in life is not to make money… it’s to do the best that we can to make our global community a better place,” she believes. However, she also poses the question of how to attract bright young people into the sector. Shore feels it is critical for young people to know the social sector is a viable option. Speaking about Share Our Strength, he says, “Having the best people in the country feel like, ‘this is a place I want to be,’ becomes very important to our ability to succeed.” Cardinali reinforces this point. “Many social sector institutions take on the most difficult and intractable problems in the world – and you want the… best talent addressing the most difficult challenges.” All three participants agree that food can play an important role in improving our society. Herrera shares stories of how food can heal and connect people from her chef experience and world travels. Cardinali describes how Independent Sector is using dinners to bring people with disparate views together to bridge differences and find common ground. Shore comments that food sits in the intersection of so many social issues. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

TRADING BAD HABITS FOR LYCRA: RIDING FOR NO KID HUNGRY Jun 14, 2017

Show notes

Can one event feed hungry kids, promote fitness AND celebrate amazing food? This special edition of Add Passion and Stir was taped at Chefs Cycle, a 300-mile fundraising bike ride in Santa Rosa, CA for No Kid Hungry. Chef Jason Roberts and Bon Appétit Deputy Editor Andrew Knowlton joined Share Our Strength founder and CEO Billy Shore and Share Our Strength National Director of Chef and Culinary Relations Jenny Dirksen to discuss the true meaning of the ride. As one of the founders of Chefs Cycle, Jason says “We’re changing lives. We are creating futures and opportunities… We are not just connecting [kids] to food but also to opportunity.” Andrew underscores the importance of the mission in these uncertain times. “It doesn’t matter which [political] party you believe in – everything [Share Our Strength] is doing is for the kids.” Both citizen activist guests have been involved with No Kid Hungry for many years: Bon Appétit was the first major sponsor of Taste of the Nation for No Kid Hungry and opened a lot of important doors for the organization through their advertisers, and Chef Jason led the first ever Chefs Cycle - only a small handful of riders - four years ago. In addition to raising money for hungry kids, Chefs Cycle also represents an intersection of food and fitness for many of the chefs and culinary professionals who participate. “Chefs are trading bad habits for Lycra and clip-in shoes,” says Chef Jason. Jenny Dirksen has seen chefs of all fitness levels get involved, from hardcore chef cyclists to “everyone who said, ‘this is a good opportunity for me to push myself farther than I’ve gone before.’” Jenny also compliments the entire group of more than 230 riders. “Our chefs and culinary professionals are an amazing community of generous, warm, intelligent, giving people, and you put them on a ride together and these bonds form.” These bonds will support further iterations of Chefs Cycle, such as multiple rides, longer rides, and even a cross-country ride. Listen to hear all about it and tell us what you think! See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Rock Star P!nk Goes the Distance for America’s Hungry Kids Jun 07, 2017

Show notes

More than 200 chefs from across the country were joined by Grammy Award-winning international rock star P!nk in a fundraising bike ride that raised $2 million for the No Kid Hungry campaign from Share Our Strength. In an exclusive interview for Add Passion and Stir, the podcast from Share Our Strength hosted by brother and sister co-founders Billy and Debbie Shore, singer-songwriter P!nk, says, “What’s awesome about Share Our Strength and No Kid Hungry is that [they] really make it doable to help… [They] make it really fun. [They] make where people’s dollars go make sense. It’s really easy to understand, and it’s universal – it’s kids!” This special edition of Add Passion and Stir was taped at Chefs Cycle, a 300-mile fundraising bike ride in Santa Rosa, CA. Alecia Moore Hart – better known as P!nk – sat down with fellow riders husband Carey Hart, chef Mary Sue Milliken (Border Grill), chef Kevin Nashan (Sidney Street Café, St. Louis) and Share Our Strength founders Billy and Debbie Shore to discuss the importance of getting involved on issues that matter. Despite a grueling few days in the saddle, all the riders were inspired by the event and their collective power to make a difference for hungry kids. They are grateful for organizations that help them do this. “Everybody wants to help,” says P!nk, “but the problem is sometimes that nobody knows what to do.” James Beard award winners Milliken and Nashan have been involved with No Kid Hungry for many years, and the mission and camaraderie keeps them engaged. “When I was poor and just starting out and I had no way of really helping, I was introduced to Share Our Strength,” says Milliken. “I realized: I can do what I do! I can cook! It was so powerful. I thought, this is what I want to dedicate my time to.” Carey Hart, a retired motocross racer, now shares his time and talent with Good Ride Rally, a motorcycle rally that benefits veterans. Each guest also speaks about their memories of taking civic action with their parents when they were young and how this instilled important values of giving back and taking care of those less fortunate. They stress the importance of involving kids in helping other kids. “Every parent wants their kid to be a global citizen. Every parent wants their kid to be aware of what’s going on in the world. Every kid wants to help another kid – it’s innate, it’s who they are,” says P!nk. Share Our Strength founder Debbie Shore shares the next big idea for Chefs Cycle: a cross-country relay bike ride involving thousands of chefs and raising tens of millions of dollars for fighting child hunger. Add Passion and Stir host and Share Our Strength founder and CEO Billy Shore – who also rode all 300 miles through the hills of Santa Rosa – gives insight into how he advises his staff. “Our biggest challenge is failure of imagination. Incremental steps are not enough – to really solve the problems we need to solve, we need to think big and take big risks.” What do YOU think? How can we think big about solving child hunger in America? Can we rally thousands of chefs to bike across the country and ride on Washington, DC? How can we better engage kids in helping other kids who are struggling with hunger? We would love to hear your thoughts. Listen to the episode, provide comments in iTunes, comment on our Facebook page, tweet at us on Twitter, or go to our website (nokidhungry.org). We can’t wait to be inspired by you! See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

DISRUPTING TO INNOVATE: UNEXPECTED SOLUTIONS May 31, 2017

Show notes

Sometimes disrupters come from unexpected places. In order to solve our major social problems like poverty, hunger and education, we need innovation and new thinking to solve them on a grand scale. Would you expect a bankrupt nonprofit to have the answer? Or a restaurant that opens in an unpopular part of town? In this episode of Add Passion and Stir, two provocative thinkers share their creative strategies with host Billy Shore. Entrepreneur, author and activist Dan Pallotta is known for the creation of multi-day charitable events like the Breast Cancer 3-Day walks and AIDS Rides, as well as his iconic TED talk on how the way we think about charity is dead wrong. Boston restauranteur Garrett Harker restaurateur makes a practice of using his restaurants to activate up-and-coming neighborhoods and empower staff members to engage in this community revitalization. Billy Shore, founder and CEO of Share Our Strength and an innovator himself, asks Pallotta and Harker about how they use their respective platforms to disrupt norms. Pallotta uses his platform as a founder of nonprofits to voice his disagreement with society’s expectations of them. “Nonprofits should not be hamstrung,” he says, by things like an inability to spend money on fundraising or donors’ requirements of low overhead. “Nonprofits have the capacity to radically disrupt the world in a short period of time… We need to unleash their power to address massive social problems.” Harker uses the unlikely platform of placing a restaurant in a transitional neighborhood to transform a community and develop staff members. “We realized how galvanizing it can be to put together a staff and make it part of your mission not just to take care of people, but to help elevate a community and a neighborhood.” With restaurants such as Eastern Standard in Kenmore Square and Branch Line in Watertown, his twin goals of striving to be the best and positively impacting the neighborhood have led to many successes. Listen to the episode and marvel that the answers to our biggest social problems may not come from the usual suspects, and get inspired to disrupt norms yourself. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

LEFT BEHIND: MILITARY FAMILIES AND VETERANS STRUGGLE WITH HUNGER May 24, 2017

Show notes

Our country is leaving behind the families who have made the biggest sacrifices for our safety and freedom. How are military and veteran families among our most vulnerable and struggling with poverty and hunger? How can we justify raising defense spending without protecting and strengthening services like SNAP (food stamps) that help them? In this timely and poignant episode of Add Passion and Stir, an expert on military hunger and a chef who is also an Army veteran have a serious conversation with Share Our Strength founders Billy and Debbie Shore. All are concerned about President Trump’s proposed budget cuts to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP, formerly known as food stamps). Josh Protas is the Vice President of Public Policy at MAZON, a national advocacy organization based on Jewish values that is working to end hunger in the United States and Israel, where he coordinates and implements the advocacy agenda. Alex Samayoa is executive chef at Espita Mezcaleria in Washington, DC, and served in the U.S. Army and Army Reserves. While the U.S. Department of Defense does not track hunger among military families or veterans, organizations like food banks report that a growing number of current military and veteran families are seeking food assistance. Josh and Alex discuss the injustice of how those who make great personal sacrifices in service to our country are struggling to provide their families regular meals on their military pay or veteran benefits. “These are really hidden issues,” says Josh, partly due to the pride among military families and veterans. “There is an ethic in the military about not leaving anybody behind, but the truth is we are leaving them behind.” Host Billy Shore adds, “Aren’t these the folks we owe the most to, and we’re giving them the least!?” Chef Alex shares personal anecdotes about people with whom he served in the Army who cannot afford basic necessities. When asked how we treat our returned vets, Alex responds “Everybody says they care, but nobody’s really there. … I have friends who can’t get earpieces from the V.A. [Veterans Administration], and they can only hear out of one ear.” How can you help correct this injustice to our service men and women? First, the Military Hunger Prevention Act introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives would remove barriers to SNAP eligibility for currently serving military families. You can read more at mazon.org/take-action, and contact your Congressional representatives to tell them to protect military families. Second, you can get involved with local organizations that serve military families and veterans and help show them that we value their service and refuse to leave them behind. Listen to the episode for inspiration and ideas on how to help those who risk their lives to protect us. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

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